Continuous flow at Y opens at midnight (Austin, Center: school, friendly)

[austin-steve]

Hears on KLBJ 590 during afternoon drive time (appx 5PM I think) that there was "an accident at William Cannon at Hwy 290 and traffic is backed up in both directions".

Didn't see it, just heard on the radio.

Hopefully people learn the flow, but there is also a lot of out of town traffic coming through there.

Steve

[robertsacamano]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

Hopefully people learn the flow, but there is also a lot of out of town traffic coming through there.

Steve

And that's really the major issue. 290 West is the most direct to/from I10. I would love to know how much of the traffic coming/going through Oak Hill is local to Austin vs. regional vs. interstate. Most of those drivers will never learn the intersection as they'll pass through it only rarely.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by robertsacamano

And that's really the major issue. 290 West is the most direct to/from I10. I would love to know how much of the traffic coming/going through Oak Hill is local to Austin vs. regional vs. interstate. Most of those drivers will never learn the intersection as they'll pass through it only rarely.

Well it's a moot point. A tollway is probably at least 5 years away before ground is broken, 7-8 years before finished optimistically.

This is the new intersection until then.

[lpc123]

As a regular traveler through the Y, I would say it is an overall improvement, but there are still times when it is backed up.

The better solution would have been to convert the whole 290/71 area to be an actual freeway interchange (no traffic lights), but the Oak Hill crowd won't have it, and they apparently still have a lot of political pull.

[ATX Wahine]

I am a big fan so far of the CFI. I've driven it all directions at least ten times in the past week now, at all different times of the day/evening, and with the lone exception of approaching 290 coming down Wm Cannon from Freescale, it's been much faster. I just drove from my house near 290/Circle Drive to Austin Pizza Garden in seven minutes. SEVEN MINUTES. Totally unheard of prior to the changes.

[cBach]

I was discussing this over lunch the other day. We came to the conclusion that perhaps freeways are a thing of the past. Expensive, clunky, ugly. It seems like the new traffic control patterns are cheaper, easier to maintain, and more sightly.

We all agreed that once these designs become even better, freeways may go the ways of indoor malls.

It got me to thinking that all of the problems on 360 could be solved with these traffic mechanisms.

[ppp38]

Originally Posted by cBach

I was discussing this over lunch the other day. We came to the conclusion that perhaps freeways are a thing of the past. Expensive, clunky, ugly. It seems like the new traffic control patterns are cheaper, easier to maintain, and more sightly.

We all agreed that once these designs become even better, freeways may go the ways of indoor malls.

It got me to thinking that all of the problems on 360 could be solved with these traffic mechanisms.

I wish but unfortunately Txdot is still planning a 12 lane (6 tolled, 6 free) free to go through the Y. I hope that doesnt come to pass- completely unnecessary.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by ppp38

I wish but unfortunately Txdot is still planning a 12 lane (6 tolled, 6 free) free to go through the Y. I hope that doesnt come to pass- completely unnecessary.

I agree. While a CFI takes up a lot of room, it's not elevated or unsightly and it's pedestrian friendly.

Now the folks in Westlake Hills are looking to have egg in their face, rejecting all the superstreets, Michigan Left turns, and CFI's that were proposed to solve the problems on 360.

The CFI at Wm Cannon/290 proves that these devices are extremely helpful. It's virtually eliminated the traffic at that intersection.

[lpc123]

Originally Posted by cBach

The CFI at Wm Cannon/290 proves that these devices are extremely helpful. It's virtually eliminated the traffic at that intersection.

For how long?

The truth is CFIs are a short term fix at best. It is poor city planning not to have bought the right-of-ways in the first place. Geez, you have two major highways intersecting, and we can fix that long term with a CFI? Good luck!

[G Grasshopper]

Both building and widening freeways are also a short term fix. If a place continues growing, all transportation modes, by themselves, are short term fixes. But they are pieces to a puzzle that is continually being adjusted (or should be.) Everything helps.